New hotbeds of African swine fever virus detected in southern Moldova

Chisinau, 12 May /MOLDPRES/ - A hotbed of African swine fever virus on 11 May was recorded in a household from the Besghioz village, southern Ceadar-Lunga district. At the same time, on 11 May evening, regional media informed that the infection had extended in the Tvardita town, Taraclia district, placed nearby. The Republican Veterinary Diagnosis Centre (CRDV), by laboratory tests, confirmed the infection in domestic swine in a private household from the Gagauz settlement, according to the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA) and the site www.gagauzinfo.md .    

Immediately after the district department for food safety from Ceadar-Lunga had been informed about the cases of disease, specialists of the subdivision went on the spot to consider the situation, where they took samples for laboratory analyses and imposed restrictions of movement on animals. Also, sanitary and veterinary experts work in Tvardita too. Mobile posts of checking and disinfecting transport means were set at the entrances and exits from the town.

The first deputy governor of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia, Vadim Ceban, summoned the Anti-epizootic Emergency Commission, which worked out and approved a plan of measures for combating and liquidating the hotbed. Thus, on the agro-food market from Ceadar-Lunga, restrictions were imposed on the sale of pork and the authorities ask the residents to make use of the authorized slaughter house from the Congaz settlement.   

After CRDV had confirmed the appearance of the hotbed, ANSA notified the competent structures from Moldova and the European Union, World Organization for Animal Health, as well as other external partners about the appearance of the hotbed of African swine fever virus in Moldova.  

The epidemiological investigation is underway and is carried out by a team of inspectors of the territorial subdivisions for food safety from Ceadar-Lunga and Taraclia, in cooperation with other competent institutions of the state.

In the context of the appearance of the hotbed of African swine fever virus, ANSA, through its district territorial structures, permanently monitors the epizootic situation for limiting the extension of the disease and liquidate it. At the same time, the Agency asks owners of pigs to urgently inform in case of animals’ falling sick, death or discovery of corpses of wild boars and recommends the observance of minimum requirements of biosecurity.

(Reporter L. Grubii, editor L. Alcaza)